Traction device for the wheels of automotive vehicles



Aprifl 30, 1935. D. c. BAMBENEK 1,999,713

TRACTION DEVICE FOR THE WHEELS OF AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Filed Jan. 31, 1934 Patented Apr. 30, 1935 NITED STATES TRACTION DEVICE FOR THE WHEELS OF AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Dominic C. Bambenek, Winona, Minn., assignor to Peerless Chain Company, Winona,

Minn., a

corporation of Minnesota Application January 31, 1934, Serial No. 709,154

' 1 Claim.

My invention relates to traction devices for the wheels of automotive vehicles and of the type commercially known as emergency chains. Such chains usually include a plurality of tread members and a cross-tie member or chain that extends transversely around a tire between certain of the spokes of the wheel. The ends of the tread members and cross-tie chain, on each side of the tire, are attached to a connector which holds the tread chains laterally with the cross-tie chain midway therebetween.

The cross-tie chain, at one of its ends, is adjustably and detachably attached to the respective connector by a lock device. In applying the traction device to a wheel, it is preferably arranged with the lock device on the outside of the tire for the sake of easy manipulation. The cross-tie chain is attached to the lock device by inserting a part of said device through one of the links of the cross-tie chain and said chain is usually of such length as to leave one or more excess links outwardly of the lock device.

The object of this invention is to embody in the cross-tie member or connection a traction device of the above type and spring take-up device.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combina tions of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing: V

Fig. 1 is an inside elevation of a pneumatic tireequipped automobile wheel diagrammatically illustrated and to which wheel is applied a plurality of emergency chains having the invention embodied therein; and

Fig. 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale.

For the purpose of showing the invention applied to an automobile wheel, such a wheel is illustrated in the drawing, and of the parts thereof, it is important to note the hub 3, the axle 4, the spokes 5, the felly Brand the rim 7 on which is mounted a pneumatic tire 8.

There is mounted on the wheel illustrated three of the improved traction devices or emergency chains and which devices are spaced equal dis tances apart circumferentially about the wheel and are identical, the one with the other.

Each traction device includes two laterally spaced tread chains 9, a pair of combined connectors and anti-chafing bearings I0, a cross-tie chain H, a lock device l2, and a spring take-up device it. The two combined connectors and antichafing bearings it connect the two tread chains 9 at their same ends and hold said chains properly spaced apart.

The combined connectors and anti-chafing bearings 59 are of novel construction and are made the subject matter of the copending application Serial Number 71l,939 filed February 19, 1934.

Thetwo combined connectors and anti-chafing bearings iii are substantially identical, the one with the other, and each anti-chafing bearing, as shown, is a round rod l4 that extends transversely of the tread chains 9. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the two anti-chafing bearings It engage the sides of the tire 8 at substantially diametrically opposite points. Extending from one side of each anti-chafing bearing I4 is a pair of U-shaped end yokes l5 and extending from the other side of said bearing is a single intermediate yoke it. These bearings l5 and I6 are formed from a single round rod that is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the bearing M where the arms cross the same. The tread chains 9, at their ends, are attached to the yokes E5 of the two connectors and the lock device i2 is attached to the yoke E6 of the outer connector while thespring take-up device I3 is attached to the yoke H6 or" the inner connector.

It'will be noted that the arms of the intermediate yokes I6 are considerably longer than the arms of the end yokes it, thus materially increasing the leverage thereof, for a purpose that will presently appear. The end portions of the anti-chafing bearings M are beveled so that they will freely slide on the sides of the tire 8 without marring or injuring the same.

The spring take-up device l3, which is the subject matter of the present application, includes 40 a flat link I! that extends between the ends of an open link on one end of the cross-tie chain II and is connected thereto by a headed pivot stud l8. Formed in the link l1, intermediate of r its ends, is a longitudinally extended slot l9 through which the intermediate or transverse portion of the yoke lie of the inner connector extends and connects the tension device l3 to said inner connector for compound pivotal and endwise sliding movements. The other or outer end of the link I1 is in the form of a T-head 29. Encircling the outer end portion of the link I! is a coiled compression spring 2! which is held between the transverse portion of the respective yoke l6 and the T-head 20. The lock device I2 is of the type disclosed and broadly claimed in United States Letters Patent issued to Joseph B. Bambenek, September 26, 1933 under Serial Number 1,928,474, entitled Combined slack takeup and lock device for tire chains.

The lock device I2 includes a plate 22 having a longitudinal slot through which the yoke I 6 on the outer connector extends. Within the slot is a plurality of lock notches 23 for interlocking engagement with said yoke to vary the operative length of the plate 22 and take up slack in the cross-tie chain H. The lock device l2 further includes a lock lever 24 pivotally attached at 25 to the outer end portion of the plate 22. This lever 24 is U-shaped in cross-section and the plate 22 extends between the sides thereof.

Formed within the plate 22, inwardly of its pivot 25, is a retaining lug 26 and a link-receiving pocket 21. In the sides of the lever 26 are formed pairs of hook-like lugs 28 and 29 and which pairs of lugs are reversely acting. These lugs 28 and 29 are spaced to form a contracted passageway 30 that leads to a pocket 3! in the sides of the lever 24 for one of the links of the cross-tie chain II.

In applying the traction device to a tire, the tread chains 9 are placed transversely on the tread thereof and the cross-tie chain It inserted between certain of the spokes and transversely over the felly 6 with the spring take-up device IS on the inside of the tire 8. At this time the lever 2 is open, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 2, and the respective yoke I6 is in one of the lock notches 23 depending on the adjustment required to fit the traction device transversely around the tire 8. Next, the lever 24 is inserted through one of the links in the cross-tie chain II and the respective link hooked over the lugs 29 and said lever closed.

During the closing movement of the lever 24 the held link of the cross-tie chain II is carried into the pocket 3| from one side of the pivot 25 to the other and into interlocking engagement with the lugs 26 and 28 where the same is positively held. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be noted that when the lever 24 is closed, the link, in the cross-tie chain II held thereby, is beyond a dead center which is at the center of the pivot 25, and hence, positively holds the'lever 24 closed. Closing movement of the lever 24 draws the crosstie chain II endwise toward the lock device I2 and away from the spring take-up device I3 which moves the link I! endwise on the transverse portion of the respective yoke I6 and places the spring 2| under tension.

In this application of the traction device to the tire 8, the anti-chafing bearings I4 rest on the sides of said tire and hold the connectors I5 and I6 spaced therefrom and which bearings also act as fulcrums that rockably support said connectors. Due to the increased leverage of the yokes I6 over the yokes I5, the pull on the devices II, I2 and I3 on the yokes I6, which is downward, tends to lift the yokes I5 and hold connected links of the tread chains 9 out of contact with the sides of the tire 8. Obviously, the compression spring 2| securely holds the traction device tightly drawn transversely around the tire 8 and overcomes the tendency of centrifugal force to throw the excess links in the cross-tie chain II and the lock device I2, due to the extra weight thereof, radially outwardly relative 'to the wheel. This action of the tension device holds the traction device from shifting movement transversely on the tire '8 which would bring the lock device I2 onto the tread of said tire. Or, in other words, the spring take-up device I3 automatically takes up slack in said device during flexing of the tire 8 and positively prevents the traction device from shifting transversely around the tire 8 due to the unbalanced construction of the tension device.

The cross-tie chain II, where the same crosses the ielly 6, is encased in a rubber tube 32 to prevent the same from marring said Ielly.

It will be understood thatthe invention described is capable of various modifications within the scope of the invention herein disclosed and claimed.

What I claim is:

A connector and a spring take-up device connecting a pair of tread members in edgewise spaced relation to a cross-tie member, said connector having a yoke portion between the tread members, said take-up device including a link having a longitudinal slot, through which the yoke portion extends, and a coiled spring encircling one end portion of the link and arranged to-be compressed between the yoke and link at one end, said. cross-tie member being attached to the. other end of the link, said connector also having a tire-engaging bearing, between the tread members and the spring take-up device, constructed and arranged to hold the connector and attached portions of the tread members and the spring take-up device out of contact with the tire.

DOMINIC C. BAMBENEK. 

